This invention relates generally to the technology concerned with glass dielectric layers. Specifically, the invention is directed to thin film dielectric layers deposited on conductive metallurgy. In the technology, there is a common problem of pinhole defects or opens in the dielectric layers. These pinholes, which expose the underlying metal, represent unintended vias which become threatening inter-level shorts when filled with metal during subsequent deposition. The presence of pinholes essentially destroys the utility of the configuration. If there are pinhole defects, the unit will generally be discarded with low product yields based on these defects. In the alternative, one repair technique has been utilized which involves depositing a second dielectric layer over the defective first layer; and thereby, presumably, filling in the first layer pinholes with the subsequently deposited dielectric. The obvious drawbacks to this procedure include the necessity of performing an additional deposition step and the resultant thick film contributes to a downgrading of the ultimate device.